


Nerves

by sapphireswimming



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghost Hunters, Bad First Impressions, Gen, Gen Work, One Shot, Reluctant Ghost Hunter Danny Fenton, Vengeful Valerie Gray
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-25
Updated: 2011-07-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:40:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22055701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphireswimming/pseuds/sapphireswimming
Summary: Exploring the compound on her search to find Maddie and join the Ghosthunters, Valerie comes across a blue-eyed boy who was seriously starting to get on her nerves.
Relationships: Danny Fenton & Valerie Gray
Kudos: 25
Collections: Collabs and Challenges with DannyPhantomSG1





	Nerves

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6987808/11/Phantasmic-Images
> 
> DannyPhantomSG1's (@Danny Phantom SG-1 on fanfiction.net) corresponding oneshot collection was originally posted here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6972859/1/Informal-Inspirations

Valerie started walking through the rest of the compound. It wouldn't hurt to become acquainted with the layout of the place even if there was an extremely small chance that she would actually find Maddie if she just wandered off without knowing where she was going or where the instructor could be now.

Nevertheless, Valerie started off at a determined pace, her vigilant eyes taking in her surroundings: the rough but comfortable barracks to house all the members of the group, the long and low building big enough to hold meetings and serve meals that opened out in great square columns, the odd pathways and shortcuts that ran through or past the various buildings situated in what must have been some sort of order but which left open irregular open areas wherever she looked.

After a few minutes, she found herself turning a corner to face an intimate field, enclosed by buildings on all sides. The grass here was green, but had been lightly trampled down. Perhaps it was a sparring field.

Indeed, there was a lone figure standing there now. He was not going through forms, however, but leaned against a large boulder, looking fixedly at a spot on the wall across from him, apparently lost in thought.

Valerie looked at him curiously. She had passed several groups of people training, talking, or in transit to some strategic meeting, but they had all been adults, many years older than herself. The person closest to her own age here had been the annoying redhead she talked to when she first came in. When asked, the girl had so enthusiastically explained to Valerie that she was allowed to be in the Ghosthunter's compound because she was older than she was, she was not doing any dangerous work or going out onto the field like she was looking to do, and, of course, it helped that she was Maddie's daughter. The girl had said that no one Valerie's age would ever be allowed to join the Ghosthunters. No matter how hard she asked, Maddie would never allow children in to do such dangerous work.

Yet, this boy here, who obviously belonged here and had been here for a while, looked like he was no older than she was.

She sized him up quickly. There wasn't really that much to see. This black-haired kid was scrawny. Thin. Not aware of his surroundings. Not prepared for anything that might come his way. Standing around lost in thought- ghosts probably the last thing on his mind. Not dedicated. Not nearly as dedicated as she was.

If they would let him in, surely they would give her the chance to prove herself. She knew that she would put more of her heart and soul into the work than most of the people recruited by the leaders of this compound. She had some training, not as much as she needed, it was true- she would at least acknowledge that to herself- but once she got into the program that would be remedied immediately.

She would be the force's greatest asset if only they would let her.

Valerie stepped forward and the boy glanced over. He took in her appearance with lazy blue eyes and quickly looked away again as if she did not matter. He did not seem to care who she was or why she was there.

Perhaps he had assumed that she was someone else's daughter come for a visit instead of the warrior she hoped to become, but that was the very last thing she wanted. Even if he was just some kid who happened to randomly be here waiting for his father to come out of one of the surrounding buildings, she couldn't be summed up and dismissed as someone who didn't matter. Especially if he was just some kid who was spending the afternoon here.

Who on earth did he think he was? He didn't know who she was or what she planned on accomplishing. But she was sure of one thing: she would not go away without having made an impression on him.

She walked up to him quite purposefully, although she tried to appear less intense and openly hostile by curtly nodding and saying, "Hey."

He looked at her again and quietly sighed, now obviously annoyed that she had come up to him instead of leaving him alone. The moment he managed to find a quiet spot and a moment to himself...

He didn't say anything.

"I'm Valerie."

Still no answer.

Valerie was determined to win this one. It was obvious now that this wasn't a kid she cared to know or befriend, but she was going to have her victory before she left. He would acknowledge her.

"Who're you?"

"Danny." And then he looked away again.

She gritted her teeth. If there was one thing she hated in life, it was being overlooked, passed over like she didn't matter. She wouldn't stand for it. Not from him.

"I'm looking for Maddie." She waited, but when it was clear that the boy wouldn't answer her, she had to continue. "Have you seen her?"

"Not since this morning."

Valerie pressed him again for an answer, any kind of answer that would help. "Do you know where she is?"

"Nope."

She took a deep breath to calm herself at his flippant response before trying again. "Do you know where she could be?"

"She could be anywhere."

Valerie practically growled. "Look, kid..."

"The name's Danny, Val," he said, rounding to face her squarely for the first time. His hazy blue eyes taunting her, issuing some kind of a challenge as they seemed to be annoyed with her and laughing at her and being completely indifferent at the same time. "If you're going to ask for it, use it."

"I'm not here to play games!" she spat out. "I need to know where Maddie is and I need to know now."

Danny snorted. "She's kind of in charge of the place," He gestured to everything around him. "And needs to keep her eye on everything. It's nearly impossible to track her down. She could be doing anything from teaching private judo lessons or checking the kitchen supplies to strategizing the next hit or screening possible new recruits."

Valerie sighed impatiently. "Look, are you going to help me or not?"

"I don't really see why I should... but I have answered all of your questions."

He crossed his arms and stared at the dark skinned girl as she grew even more frustrated.

"Not helpfully!"

"Truthfully," he shot back.

"Gah!" She threw her hands up in the air. "Why is everyone around here such a head-job? I can't get through anywhere. First the red-head at the desk, now you!"

Danny's tensed shoulders suddenly relaxed and he chuckled.

"Oh... you met Jazz."

"Yeah, and she tried to talk me out of coming in here."

"She's certainly one to talk about anything," he acknowledged.

"Yeah, but she can't talk me out of joining up."

Danny looked at Valerie, a little surprised, and appraised her again, as if he thought he was missing a few pieces when he sized her up the first time. It didn't take him long to do it, but his gaze was not sharp or piercing like hers was, or like a warrior's should have been. It was a dull kind of stare, followed by a dull sort of comment.

"You're stupid."

And then he began to walk away.

Valerie stood there for a minute as if in shock, but then the full weight of what he had said began to sink into her brain. He had just said... this kid, this scrawny little pathetic kid had actually had the nerve to call her...?

She stood stock still for a moment, fists clenched until her knuckles turned white. And then she decided that she didn't even want to try to rein in her emotions. This kid had asked for it. He had royally asked for it and now he was going to get it.

With a shout, she lunged forward toward his retreating back. She shoved as hard as she could, and he fell to the ground.

She thought the whole thing was over then and there as he lay sprawled on the grass, but when she blinked, the boy was up again and facing her with an expressionless face and still those two brilliantly colored but dull eyes. They lazily watched her movements and she smiled to herself, sure that he wouldn't be quick enough to follow her next movements. This would be too easy.

The continued circling each other for a few moments more before she made her move.

Lashing out in a side kick that would have made any martial arts teacher proud, Valerie planted a solid blow to Danny's side. Somehow, though, her foot met with more resistance than she thought could possibly be there. Instead of breaking in half or toppling to the ground, Danny caught himself as he moved only a few inches to the side, twisting round to face her again.

Valerie's eyes went wide when, seemingly without effort, he caught her wrist as her hand flew to land on his face with her follow-up to the initial kick. His grip was iron tight and his arm, skinny as a twig, somehow managed to hold her flailing arm in place with ease.

Then, somehow, she was free, circling him again with a mind trying to catch up with what had happened. Before she had had a chance to recover and plan her next move, she found that it was planned for her.

Valerie blocked a jab, then a punch, and ducked below an elbow strike that would have hit her head. But Danny never followed-up with his movements; he never actually tried to hit her. He just jabbed and feinted. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have had to worry about a foe who wasn't trying to actually harm her, but his movements were relentless, coming at her from every side and every angle when she was least expecting it.

She looked at him with wide teal eyes, trying to figure out where he was going to strike next, and also what on earth he was doing. He did not seem mad or vengeful. Her head would have been throbbing several times over if that had been the case.

His attacks were calm and methodical; he wasn't even breathing hard. That was when she realized- he was holding back. It was almost as if he were testing her, trying to see how much she could take.

It made her angry to think that he was playing with her like this. He shouldn't even be able to hold his own against anyone or anything. And he thought he could get away with toying with her? No way...

She lashed out with everything she had, aiming blow after blow to his head and chest with a ferocious yell. But none of them made contact and the last punch of her series left her open for him to slip in a soft blow to her chest, just below the base of her neck.

It didn't hurt her. It didn't do anything more than knock the wind out of her, but the effect was immediate and she stopped mid-move and grasped at her throat as she collapsed to the ground. Her eyes went wide with worry when she found that she was unable to breathe, but a few seconds later, she was coughing to clear her windpipes and then was swallowing the sweet air again.

It hadn't taken long, but the episode was long enough for him to declare a silent victory and for her to feel totally humiliated.

Once she had recovered from the last blow, Danny knelt down to look her over. After a few seconds, he decided that she was fine and stared her in the eye.

She was looking at him as if wondering where on earth that had come from. She hadn't expected anything like that at all. She should have been able to take him down without any effort, but he had been the one to do it to her, and without even breaking a sweat. He shouldn't have been that good. He didn't look like he was any good. Even after what he had just done to her, she could not imagine that he was capable of doing much at all.

And he seemed to be oblivious to her whole train of thought. He didn't care that he had knocked her down or that to her at least, he shouldn't have been able to.

"I'm the son of ghost hunters," he said quietly, but with more emotion that he had yet used. "I couldn't get out of this if I tried." He paused, looking for something in her face. "What's your excuse?"

"A ghost ruined my life." She hissed.

"Ghosts ruin a lot of people's lives. Are you out to help them too or just get your own personal revenge?"

She gaped for a few moments before screeching, "How dare you! I take Phantom down and the whole world is a better place!"

His expression didn't change. The remarkable thing is that she had expected it to. She had just yelled into his face, surely that deserved some kind of reaction.

She thought that her speech would make him realize her great goal and true potential. She thought that he would help her up with a change of heart and say, 'well, in that case, Valerie, let me show you the way to Maddie and I'll convince her to let you sign up so that you can help change the world.'

But nothing. There was none of that. Not a flicker of emotion passed over his face.

He just looked at her silently for a moment, then quickly got up and left without another word.


End file.
